Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-12-09
PRECIOUS METALS.
Operations of the United States Mints Dur
Ing the Past Year.

Operations of the United States Mints Dur
ing the Past Year.
The Director of the Mint, in his annual
report of the operations of the minis and
assay offices for the fiscal year 1887, states
that the value of the gold and silver re-
ceived at the mints and assay offices during
the year was greater than in any previous
year since 1881. The value of the gold
deposited was $SS,223,0 72. In addition
there we're redeposits of the value of S15,-
1873, 706. The value of the silver deposited
and purchased was S47, 756,9lS. In addi-
ton there were redeposits of silver
amounting to S462, 113.
OF the gold deposited, S32,973, 021 was
Of domestic production. S22,57l 1928 of
foreign gold bullion, S9,39G,512 of foreign
gold coin, $5lG,9S4 of United States gold
coin, and 2,265,2l9 OF old material. The
coinage of the fiscal year was as follows:
Gold, 1924, 720 pieces; value $22 1896, 279.
Silver, A 231 ,2SS pieces; value S34, &c.,
4S3. Minor coins, 80, 1GG, 500 pieces; value
$943, 1850. In addition to the coinage exc
cuted during the year, gold and silver bars
were manufactured as follows: Gold, $685.
lSS,953; silver. $6,4Sl ,6l1. The silver
bullion purchased during the year for the
silver dollar coinage was 29,433, 342 stand
ard ounces Of the cost of SO, 1856, $40. The
average cost was SO.JS. 1912 per ounce.
The average London prices for the year at
The number of silver dollars made was
33, 266,S3 Ten million nine hundred and
one thousand nine hundred ana twenty
eight silver dollars were distributed from
the minis during the year, and 10000, 00C
transferred to the treasury.
The seignorage OF the silver dollars
coined during the year was 81, 1923 ,55S, and
on the subsidiary silver S3l,7O4. The
number of trade dollars redeemed by the
| Treasury Of the United States under pro-
vision of the act of March 3, 1887, author
izing their redemption, was 1863, 036. The
number imported from the passage of the
act to Sept 4, 1887, was $50, sol. The
trade dollars redeemed have all been trans.
ferred to the mints or the assay office a
New York and cited into bars ready TO-
coinage. The loss by abrasion was 40.2l5..
| 70 standard ounces, equivalent to IS, 9G
trade dollars. If the trade dollars re-
deemed are coined into subsidiary silve
| the profit, exclusive Of operative wastage
| will be $63l ,574. If coined into standar,
silver dollars, SOB. 0O4.
The mint at Philadelphia has been take,
to its utmost capacity TO execute the larg
minor coinage demanded of it i'll addition
to the mandatory coinage of silver dollars
Notwithstanding the large number of piece
struck, the demand for minor coins is still
far beyond the capacity of the mint t
promptly fill the orders.
The expenditures for the service of til
minis and assay offices during the yea
were $l.lS9,509. The expenses OF the aci
retineries were S1G5, S37, against an earn
ing of Sl43,25S. The total earnings flo1
all sources amounted to IS, S42,S $40, an
the total expenses and losses Of all kinds t
81. 437 ,432.
The value of the gold and silver bars is
sued from the United States Assay Otiic
at New York and the mint at Phladelphi
for use in the industrial marts during til
year was Ss,S95,7l0 gold and $4,471 ga
silver.
The Director estimates the stock of col
in the United States to have been on tn
first day of July, 1887: Gold, S569, 0OS.
o55; silver, S342, 537, SIG. In addition
there was bullion in the minis as follows
Gold, So, 5l2,270; silver; 0,455, $40.
The Director estimates the stock of gol
and silver coin in the United States on No,
!, 1887, to have been: Gold, S574 1927,
o73; silver dollars, S277,llO,157; sub
sldlary silver, S75.75S, 1856.